Alton’s new Miles Davis statue blends in during the Sept. 12 unveiling and jazz reception for the art work. (Photo courtesy Preston Jackson )

Alton honors ‘Picasso of Jazz’

Renowned jazz trumpeter Miles Davis is now honored with a bronze sculpture in Downtown Alton’s Third Street entertainment district. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music, the Alton native became known as the “Picasso of Jazz” for regularly pioneering new jazz genres — including bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, and jazz fusion – like the famous modern artist who regularly introduced radical new styles of painting. Kind of Blue, recorded by Davis in 1959, is by some counts the best selling jazz album ever released. The slightly larger-than-life sculpture, by Chicago Institute of Art professor emeritus Preston Jackson, was commissioned by The Miles Davis Memorial Project — a collaboration of the Alton Museum of History and Art, the Alton civic beautification group, Pride, Incorporated, and the Miles Davis Jazz Committee of Alton.  While Davis and his family moved to East St. Louis and the musician spent most of his career in New York, he always considered Alton home, speakers noted during the Sept. 12 unveiled ceremony for the statue.

Leadership Council seeks rail bridge improvements

The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois is calling for construction of a new railroad bridge across the Mississippi River to replace the existing Merchants Bridge between St. Louis and Metro-East.

The council’s recently-issued Illinois Freight Transportation Study projects the cost of the new bridge at $145 million to $212 million.

The council hopes to pay for the new bridge using federal grants matched by a public private-partnership.

The transportation study also calls for the continuation of improvements to the MacArthur Bridge, about 10 miles downstream.

Together, the two bridges represent the largest railroad crossing point on the Mississippi, carrying an average total of 73 trains each day, including Amtrak lines.  Both are owned and operated by the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis.

The half-mile Merchants Bridge, connecting north St. Louis and the city of Venice in Madison County,  was crossed last year by an average of 32 trains a day. Although it is a double tracked bridge, it is currently restricted to on train at a time. Built in 1889, the 126-year-old bridge the is the oldest rail bridge crossing the Mississippi.

The MacArthur Bridge is part of a 6.2 mile span of elevated track connecting Downtown St. Louis and East St. Louis in St. Clair County.

Railroad tie replacement is already underway on the bridge. Opened in 1917, the bridge was constructed with two decks to allow automobile traffic above the railroad tracks. However, the road deck has been closed to traffic since 1981 and was removed in March.

$2 million deficit prompts Alton schools to restructure classes, file balanced budget plan

Faced with a $2 million budget deficit, the Alton School District has filed a deficit reduction plan with the State of Illinois and plans to restructure kindergarten-through-fifth grade (K-5) classes for the 2016-17 school years.

The Alton Board of Education approved the budget for the district’s new fiscal year, Sept. 15. The deficit reduction plan is required under state law when school districts have an an unbalanced budget and reserves are not at least three times the district’s budget deficit. The plan must outline steps necessary to reduce or eliminate the deficit over a three-year period.

The Alton plan includes restructuring K-5 attendance centers at all district elementary schools to  a grade-based model, Superintendent Kenneth Spells told the school board. The move could save the district about $300,000 in personnel costs, although district officials caution it is too early to say exactly.

The district’s budget deficit results from the  loss of $10.75 million in prorated state funding and  $6.5 million reduction in local revenues due to decreasing property values, over the past five years, according to district officials. The district has essentially depleted its cash reserves and has issued $10.7 million in bonds to secure operating revenues, district officials say. The district has now exhausted its capacity to borrow for working capital.

The district has identified and implemented some $8 million in cost reductions since the 2009-10 school years, district officials say.

However, the district this year also opened its new Alton High Athletic Complex, with new soccer and baseball stadiums and continues to invest in learning technology for students, according to the district web site.

Judge closes reputed ‘Fly Boys’ gang hangout

An Alton street gang known as the “Fly Boys” – linked by police to more than 20 incidents of criminal activity over a three year period, including murder and aggravated battery with a firearm — has effectively been ordered by a Madison County Circuit court to vacate the building used by gang members as a residence and headquarters.

The building owners have been ordered to pay nearly $168, 000 in damages for allegedly allowing criminal activity at the site, according to court documents.

Among the gang’s reputed members is Marcus Baldwin, currently serving a 58-year term for first-degree murder of Dantavier Thompson and two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

In February of this year, an apparent argument near the gang’s hangout on Tremont Street resulted in shots being fired in the direction of the nearby Lovejoy School, while children were on the grounds, according to police.  An associate of the gang was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school.

In May, a woman was shot and paralyzed near the Tremont Street building, according to court documents.

In all, Alton Police say they have responded to the building 27 times for reports of infractions ranging from peace disturbance and controlled substance possession, to mob action and aggravated battery with a firearm.

The Fly Boys are self-described as a gang in Facebook videos used to brag about their exploits and issue threats.

In a Sept. 15 ruling, Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder ordered building owners  Jacqueline K. Lumpkins and Syvlia Lumpkins to pay $100,000 in punitive damages as well as $58,000 to reimburse the Alton Police Department for the repeated calls to the site and $10,00 in court costs.

The building is to be vacated by Sept. 29.

Mascoutah opens ’21st century learning facility’

Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19 has opened its new 112,000-square-foot Wingate Elementary kindergarten-fifth grade school.  Designed to alleviate overcrowding at Mascoutah Elementary, which had nearly 1,000 students enrolled during the last school year, Wingate has  an initial enrollment of 265, but capacity to hold up to 550 students.

Designed as a “21st century learning facility,”  Wingate has five sections  to allow each grade level it’s own wing, according to district officials. Each classroom wing features a centralized extended learning area, which includes sinks for experiments and other projects and moveable teaching walls to create highly flexible, dynamic teaching spaces. All classrooms also include WiFi and smartboards.

The school includes a two-story media center, gymnasium, and cafeteria – with an adjacent multi-purpose room, separated by an operable partition, to provide additional seating. Sustainable design elements are incorporated throughout the building, including daylighting, a heat-reflective roof and an energy efficient exterior envelope and building systems.

Mascoutah Community Unit School District, with 3,700 students, serves a 104-square-mile area  including  Mascoutah, all of Scott Air Force Base, MidAmerica Airport and parts Belleville, Shiloh and New Baden.

The new school building was designed by FGM Architects of O’Fallon and built by Poettker Construction of Breese.

Fall Activities abound in Metro-East

The Metro-East again this year will be host of a variety of fall festivals and Halloween celebrations.

Great Godfrey Maze

The 2015 edition of the Great Godfrey Maze incorporates the logo for the hit Broadway musical WICKED now playing at the Fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis’ Grand Center Arts District.

A popular fall family attraction in the St. Louis area, the maze is cut in a seven-acre corn field in Godfrey’s Robert E Glazebrook Park. The “crop circle” cutting methods used to shape the maze are a closely guarded secret, according to Godfrey Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Caughran.

This year’s maze, unveiled Sept. 4, is open weekends, beginning Friday at 6 p.m., through Oct. 31. A popular “haunted” version of the maze opens after dark on Friday and Saturday evenings, beginning Oct. 2. Those entering the maze after dusk are advised to bring a flashlight.

Visitors can also take a ride in a hay wagon or cow train, ride a zipline, or test their skill with the  unique “corn cannon,” shooting ears of corn at a target  Glazebrook Park. The park is at 1401 Stamper Lane, just off U.S 67 in Godfrey.

General admission to the Great Godfrey Maze is $6 for adults, and $4 for children ages six to 11. Kids age 5 and younger get in free. Groups of 15 or more get in for $4 a person with advanced notice.

For additional information see the village of Godfrey’s Great Godfrey Maze web page (http://godfreyil.org/index.cfm?page=2549)  Being an outdoor attraction, the maze may sometimes be closed due to inclement weather. Visitors can check in advance for unscheduled closing use the Godfrey Parks Department Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Village-of-Godfrey-Parks-and-Recreation-Department-125684087458302/timeline/) or hot line, (618) 466-1483, Ext. 3.

Eckert’s Pumpkin Jamboree

Another St. Louis area favorite, the annual Eckert’s Orchards Pumpkin Jamborees in in Belleville, Millstadt and Grafton offer wagon rides through the produce grower’s fields to help families select pumpkins for their Halloween jack-o-lanterns. Live music, pony rides, festival foods, a petting farm and other attractions are also offered at each location. The farm’s fall festival is held on Saturdays and Sundays in October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some activities are free, while others are available for a small fee.

“Haunted  hayrides” are offered on Friday and Saturday nights during September and October at Eckert Farms in Millstadt. Admission charges are applicable with one hayride per admission.

On Columbus Day, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., all three Eckert’s location offer apple and pumpkin picking, carnival rides, pony and camel rides, festival food, a corn maze, pig races and other attractions. Admission that day is $12 per person.

Glen Carbon scarecrow contest

The Glen Carbon G.L.E.N. (Gardening, Landscaping, Enhancing Nature) Committee will host its sixth annual scarecrow contest the first weekend in October. Scarecrows, entered by individuals organizations or businesses, will be displayed on the lawn of the Glen Carbon Village Hall for a week, with winners selected in a public on Saturday, Oct. 3. Ribbons will be awarded to the first-, second-, and third-place winners for each of several category. Entry forms and rules are available at the village hall on the village’s website (www.glen-carbon.il.us).

Collinsville Fall Festival

The Fall Festival will be held  from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.on Saturday, Oct. 24 on Main Street in Uptown Collinsville. Attractions at the family-oriented event include a chili cook-off at at which visitors can sample a variety of chili recipes vendors many of which are local non-profits. Awards are presented for best traditional and nontraditional recipes.

Trick or treating children will be welcomed at participating Main Street businesses from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A children’s costume contest on the main stage at noon with prizes for four age-groups (babies, pre-k through kindergarten, first through third grade, and fourth through sixth grade.)

A “Critter Crawl” pet parade leaves the Mutts on Main Dog Park, 509 W. Main St., at 2 p.m.  Pet costumes are encouraged but not required. Participant will receive “goodie bags” from The Animal Rescue and Relief Foundation, while they last.

The Fall Festival is organized annually by the Collinsville Main Street Community Association and sponsored by Scott Credit Union.

For more information, contact event chairwoman Tami Springer at 558-1372.

— Metro East news briefs —